Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S23 series is the talk of the town these days. The new lineup is debuting globally on February 1 and the brand has begun teasing it with all its might. The S23 series is expected to include three devices—S23, S23 Plus, and the S23 Ultra. While we already know most specifications of these smartphones, their pricing is still a mystery. However, a new report is here to change that.
Folks over at MySmartPrice have revealed the India prices for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 Series. The publication, citing tipster Yogesh Brar, claims the vanilla Galaxy S23 will be available for purchase in India at a starting price of Rs 79,999 and it will max out at Rs 83,999. The Galaxy S23 Plus would start at Rs 89,999 while the top-of-the-line Galaxy S23 Ultra will be available in the country at a base price of Rs 1,14,999.
The new Samsung flagships will likely be offered in multiple storage variants. The standard and Plus models are expected to be available in two variants – 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB. The Galaxy S23 Ultra may offer even more options. It is said to have a 1TB storage variant with 12GB of RAM. There might also be 8GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB storage versions. The lineup will arrive in different colors, including Phantom Black, Botanic Green, Cotton Flower, and Misty Lilac.
Samsung’s new premium smartphones are expected to arrive with a revamped design and improved cameras. The brand has been teasing that the series (or just the S23 Ultra) will offer the best low-light photography experience and improved zooming performance. Check out our Galaxy S23 Ultra roundup to learn more about Samsung’s topmost smartphone. You may also be interested in our Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus Roundup.
Audi has unveiled its latest concept car, the Activesphere. The new concept car combines the functionality of a luxury coupe and a truck. The Audi Activesphere is an autonomous electric vehicle with rugged features suited for off-road riding in comfort.
The Audi Activesphere is the fourth EV concept released by the car maker. It says these designs will be a guide for its subsequent EV offerings. Audi continues to evolve solutions to urban and sub-urban transportation challenges. The Activesphere is a sleek electric luxury coupe that can transform into a pickup truck with off-road capabilities. It has impressive ground clearance, massive 22-inch wheels, and a hatchback that can transform into an open cargo bed. At a push of a button, the Activesphere transits from a coupe to a pickup.
The Activesphere is a culmination of Audi’s sphere concepts. The four concepts represent each of the four rings in Audi’s logo. The concept car has a modular electric drive platform still under development by Audi and Porsche. The Premium Platform Electric (PPE) drive platform will subsequently be adapted to future Audi EVs. Indeed, the PPE will be an integral part of the next Audi production vehicle to be released later this year.
The PPE platform has an 800V architecture that will enable fast charging. Although the fine details are not yet released, it could mean up to 300km for 10 minutes of charging. It will accommodate what Audi has said is an unprecedented range of high-volume automobiles. These include SUVs and CUVs with high ground clearance, as well as cars at the low end.
Being a concept car, it is unlikely that the Activesphere will go into production. But its concept, together with the exciting features including AR/VR experience could berth in subsequent Audi cars.
Airtel, one of the major telecom services providers in India, has launched two new recharge plans for its prepaid users. Priced at Rs. 489 and Rs. 509, these plans offer massive data benefits of up to 60GB and unlimited calling. Both plans come with a validity of 30 days and include 100 SMS per day, free access to Wynk Music, Hello Tunes, Rs. 100 cashback on FASTag, and more. Let’s check out the details about these new plans.
Airtel’s new prepaid plans aim to serve the needs of users who require a lot of data to get by the day. With the latest Rs. 489 tariff plan, you’ll get 50GB of data without any daily limit, meaning you can use it all in one go. In addition, there are unlimited STD and local calls and 300 SMS for a validity of 30 days. The telco is also offering various other benefits, including a free subscription to Wynk Music, Free hello tunes, Apollo 24 by 7 Circle, and up to Rs. 100 Cashback on FASTag.
The Rs 509 prepaid plan, on the other hand, comes with a validity of exactly 1 month, meaning users will receive the full benefits of the plan for the entire month, regardless of the number of days in the month (28, 30, or 31 days). This latest plan from Airtel offers unlimited access to voice calling benefits to any network, 60GB bulk data, and 100 SMS per day. The additional benefits include a free subscription to Wynk Music, Free hello tunes, Apollo 24 by 7 Circle, and Cashback on FASTag.
Interested readers can recharge with these new plans through the Airtel Thanks app or from any other payment platforms like Paytm, PhonePe, and GPay.
The recent fan-building efforts by Qualcomm fell short of Intel and AMD’s efforts to create a fervent following for their CPUs. A $1,500 smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders was unveiled, although lacking the Snapdragon 888+, the company’s top chipset at the time. The phone was covered in Snapdragon badges, but it didn’t advance Qualcomm’s technology any further than any other significant Android phone, thus the premium price wasn’t really justified. In order to reward Snapdragon Insiders, Qualcomm has created a new set of benefits that will grant them early access to a wide range of future Snapdragon-powered products.
If you’re already a member of this exclusive group then Qualcomm is offering you the chance to try out the newest Snapdragon-powered devices, work with brands, study under seasoned influencers through training programmes, and get first access to Snapdragon Insider events. In return, Qualcomm asks that participants inform the Snapdragon community and their followers on all platforms about their thoughts and experiences. All you need to do in order to become part of this community is to follow the Snapdragon on Twitter.
Applications for the programme are now being accepted by Qualcomm, and those who are selected will be informed when a new gadget is ready for testing and invited to special events. Although the business did not specify which goods will be up for testing, it did state that they would come from reputable manufacturers who employ Snapdragon processors, many of which are found in the best Android phones. The objective is to assist underrepresented content producers, whose work will also be featured on Snapdragon’s official channels. Creators will continue to control their works, while Qualcomm will look for permission to utilise them in marketing campaigns.
The Snapdragon Insiders Access programme is open to anyone living in the United States who is at least 18 years old. It is entirely up to you whether you accept each invitation to a product or event. Qualcomm does not place a cap on the number of persons who can join. That was all we could do to address the most recent Qualcomm Insider Program update. I appreciate you taking the time to read the entire post.
The Incognito tab is one of the most useful features for the large audience out there. It prevents others from tracking our search and web history. There is now very exciting news for incognito mode lovers and Chrome has reportedly added the support of Fingerprint unlock in the incognito tab. The new addition will reportedly provide more privacy to the user and as soon as he locks the smartphone or switches to another app while browsing through the incognito tab, the fingerprint will be required to open the tab again.
Google revealed today that it is rolling out the option to require your fingerprint to access Incognito tabs in Chrome for Android, a feature that was first spotted in development last year. This functionality, which was first introduced to Chrome for iOS in early 2021, only needs you to “Unlock Incognito” using your fingerprint after restarting the Android browser. On the Incognito splash screen, you can also choose to “See other tabs,” and an overflow menu will let you close any open settings or private browsing tabs.
This feature is optional and can be turned on by going to Chrome Settings > Privacy and security. When you exit Chrome, lock any open Incognito tabs: Lock the screen to view Incognito tabs that are open. You can use your PIN in addition to verification when enabling or disabling. The splash screen occurs as soon as you close Chrome. When giving someone your phone, it can be useful (as long as they don’t know your passcode).
Within the context of Data Privacy Day, Google declared today that the feature is “now rolling out to Android users.” A large percentage of people will be able to access the update in the following days. This finishes our post on the fingerprint unlock feature that Chrome users can now use. How do you feel about this? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I appreciate you taking the time to read the entire post.
Realme India has officially teased a Coca-Cola phone on its India website. The brand has put up a microsite without revealing any explicit details. Additionally, Vice President Madhav Sheth also shared a post on his social handle that reveals a Realme 10 Pro 5G and a Coca-Cola can reflecting on the phone’s back panel. The teasers hint at an imminent launch of the Realme-branded Coca-Cola phone in the country.
Going by the aforementioned developments, Realme might be partnering with the American beverage company Coca-Cola. The phone in the image shared by Sheth seems to be the Realme 10 Pro 5G. It has dual camera rings housing two sensors in each and Matrix AI Camera text beside the lenses. The phone is also seen with a glossy and gradient back panel. On the other hand, the microsite has the words ‘Really Refreshing’ and ‘Cheers for Real’. There is also a Realme mascot covered in the Cola drink.
The Coca-Cola phone surfaced in leaked render earlier this week. The image revealed a Red-colour back panel matching the beverage company’s theme. There’s a Coca-Cola logo across the entire back panel’s right side. The smartphone is expected to debut in the country by the first quarter of 2023. Not much is known about the device but in addition to the new design, we may expect it to also come with Coca-Cola theme UI.
As the Coca-Cola phone could be a special edition of the Realme 10 Pro 5G, it may come with similar specifications. This means that it may feature a 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 108MP triple-rear cameras, Snapdragon 695 SoC, and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging.
Tecno previously collaborated with Skyesports, the biggest esports tournament organiser in Asia. The Call of Duty Mobile India POVA Cup, a year-long competition, has been planned by the company for Call of Duty mobile. This competition, which was jointly arranged by both IT behemoths, will last the entirety of 2023. And now, the details about the gameplay and event has been officially out by the brand. The tournament is all set to start a few days from now.
From January 27 to February 26.2023, the competition will span five weeks on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday per week. In order to compete for the grand prize and the title of champion, eight of the best teams from throughout India have been given direct invitations for the inaugural season. GodLike Esports, Revenant Esports, Anthem, Team XO, Nirvana Esports, Team Rebirth, 5 and a half men, and Team 12K Elite are among them.
Intense action will take place over the course of five weeks in the event, which will begin with a round-robin stage in which each side will play the other once. There will be a total of 28 thrilling matches for the fans to enjoy. The top four teams from this round will move on to the playoffs, where they will compete in a double-elimination tournament to qualify for the championship game. The COD Mobile Pova Cup Season 1 championship will be decided in the decisive match between the top two teams, which promises to be an exciting finale.
In order to forge a fantastic connection with Zillenials who are enthusiastic about mobile gaming, TECNO POVA smartphones will be collecting community penetration and developing esports activities in this gaming festival. In order to effectively connect with game enthusiasts from throughout the nation, the tournament matches will be live-streamed on the official social media accounts in four different languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
The US-China tech war is getting interesting with the US, Japan, and Netherlands engaging in diplomatic talks to increase the sanctions on semiconductor exports to China. The US is pressurizing Japan and Netherlands to increase the already long list of sanctions and practically ban any export of machinery, technology, personnel, and technical know-how to the Asian giant, which is the largest consumer of semiconductors in the world.
The existing sanctions have already affected the global semiconductor industry, especially major suppliers like ASML Holdings of the Netherlands and Tokyo Electron of Japan.
ASML CEO, Peter Wennink said that if we keep on increasing the sanctions, China will eventually learn how to produce its own chips. It is just a matter of time before they learn how to make semiconductor manufacturing equipment and become completely self-reliant.
He further added that “The more you put them under pressure, the more likely it is that they will double up their efforts.”
China’s History of Self-Reliance
A quick peek into history will show you that China is capable of going completely independent. China’s space program, high-speed railway, communication, 5G technology, and automotive industry all bear witness to the country’s capacity to grow and become self-reliant. Recently, Goldman Sachs economist also predicted that China’s GDP will surpass the US in 2035. All of these indicate that the country has the ability to go solo and may have already started the process.
In December, Reuters reported that China was already preparing a $143 billion package for its semiconductor industry, to enable local entrepreneurs and companies and counter the US curbs.
Last year Shanghai-based firms also achieved the milestone of mass-producing semiconductors with a 14nm process and made breakthroughs in 90-nm lithography machines, 5-nm etching machines, 12-inch large silicon wafers, central processing units, and 5G chips. China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp has also started exploring sub-10nm manufacturing techniques.
China’s Semiconductor Industry
Semiconductors are one of the hottest technology items of this decade. All the major technology sectors, like wired communication, consumer electronics, industrial electronics, automotive electronics, wireless communication, and computing and data storage, require semiconductors.
China, which aims to become the global leader in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, needs an uninterrupted supply of semiconductors to achieve this goal. However, the pandemic restrictions and the ongoing US sanctions have unveiled the loopholes in China’s supply chain, further strengthening Beijing’s belief that autonomy in the semiconductor industry is the only way to achieve global dominance.
Currently, China’s semiconductor industry includes a wide variety of companies from Fabless semiconductor firms like ZhaoXin, UNISOC, and HiSilicon to IDMs (Integrated Device Manufacturers) like Yangtze Memory Technology Corp and ChangXin memory Technologies.
However, even though these companies can design semiconductors, they lack the technology and capacity to mass produce them, especially the cutting-edge chips required for Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technology.
For instance, China like every other country relies on ASML to supply the complex EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography) machine, required to create advanced semiconductors. EUV is used to mass produce the most advanced microchips (7 nm, 5 nm, and 3 nm nodes).
Under the current sanctions, ASML is not allowed to sell the EUV or share related technology, material, or personnel with any Chinese company. However, the country circumvented this issue by using the DUV lithography system, which is still imported.
Impact of the Additional Sanction
Now, US wants the Japanese and Dutch government to further widen their sanctions. Talks are going on to ban the exports of DUV lithography machines and related technology. If approved, these sanctions may cripple China in the short term but will actually have a worse effect on Dutch and Japanese companies as they stand to lose more than China in this bargain.
Tokyo Electron, one of the largest semiconductor companies in Japan, gets around 25% of its revenue from exports to China. ASML has 14% of its revenue and 15% of order backlogs from China. Any additional sanctions will adversely affect the business of these two major semiconductor suppliers.
If approved, the new sanctions will help US to stop the technological and economical advancement of China. In the short term, it is going to be very difficult for China to sustain and develop its semiconductor industry under the mounting pressure of sanctions. However, if we look at Beijing’s track record, then we can presume that the country will fight back and may even change the whole semantics of the global semiconductor industry in the coming years.
The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event is just around the corner. During this conference, the company will be announcing various new products with the highlight being its next generation of flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S23 series. Now, here’s a roundup of the lineup’s top end Galaxy S23 Ultra model.
Design & Display
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is believed to feature a design that is quite similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S22 Ultra. In other words, it will feature sharp and straight corners rather than rounded ones as well. The rear will feature vertically stacked cameras that have a slight bump on the top half, while the bottom half simply carries the Samsung branding. Meanwhile, the front will feature a tall display with minimal bezels on all sides and a center aligned punch hole selfie camera.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is believed to sport a tall 6.8 inch AMOLED display. This panel will reportedly feature a QHD+ (3,088 x 1,440) resolution with a dynamic refresh rate that can go from high 120Hz to even as low as 1Hz thanks to its LTPO technology. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display is one of its notable aspects and is rumored to offer a high 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is more than the 1,750 nits offered by its predecessor. This panel will also come with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Specifications
Being a 2023 flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be equipped with Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. This processor will be paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage. The South Korean tech giant typically released its popular Galaxy S series of flagship smartphones in two variants. One version housed the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset for the US and South Korean market, while the rest of the world usually arrived with its proprietary Exynos SoC. However, it appears that the brand will only release the device in a single Snapdragon only version.
According to various leaks, the handset will be powered by a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports up to 45W wired fast charging, 10W wireless charging, and even support reverse wireless charging as well. Although, it is odd considering that the wireless charging rate appears to have fallen from 15W that was supported on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Other notable features include under display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi6E, UWB, and even NFC support. The Galaxy S23 Ultra will also run on Android 13 OS based One UI 5.1 out of the box.
Camera
Apart from the display, the company is also placing a heavy emphasis on improving the photography capabilities of its upcoming flagship phone. The upgrades is related to the zoom lens, which will apparently offer improved quality, while other rumors also claiming that low light performance will also greatly improve on the primary sensor. For those unaware, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will feature a quad camera setup. The primary shooter is a large 200 megapixel ISOCELL HP2 sensor that is capable of recording up to 8K resolutions at 30fps and supports OIS.
This sensor is paired with a 12 megapixel ultra wife angle lens that has an f/1.4 aperture and 120 degree FOV, a 10 megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, and OIS support, and lastly another 10 megapixel periscope telephoto lens that offers up to 10x optical zoom, f/4.9 aperture, while also supporting OIS. On the other hand, the front will like house a 12 megapixel selfie camera that supports HDR.
Expected Pricing
The supposed price tag of the Galaxy S23 series was just recently leaked for the European market. This information revealed that the pricing for the 8GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB variant of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The former will apparently cost around 1,409 EUR (roughly 1,532 US Dollars) while the latter will be available for a hefty 1,589 EUR (roughly 1,728 US Dollars).
Competition in the flagship smartphone market continues at full speed. While there are many models of many different brands on the market, the US technology giant Apple leads the race ahead of its competitors. The main reason for this is that the company offers a better experience with its own software and hardware. Samsung, which has been carrying out a similar study for a while, seems to have finally achieved the success it wanted in hardware. The processor that the company will use in the Galaxy S24 series, which will be released next year, may have emerged. Here are the details…
South Korean Galaxy S24 variants will supposedly feature a ten-core Exynos 2400 SoC
Samsung MX has reportedly greenlit its upcoming Exynos 2400 CPU, with mass production set to begin later this year on Samsung’s 4LPP node. According to South Korean tipster Vampire King, the Exynos 2400 (codenamed Root) will feature a quad-cluster design with a total of ten cores, and will be used in South Korean variants of next year’s Galaxy S24.
Representative Samsung Galaxy S24 image
The Exynos 2400 is said to follow the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2‘s quad-cluster design, with a prime Cortex-X4 core, two clusters of Cortex-A720 cores, and four Cortex-A510 cores. However, there is conflicting information about the exact number of Cortex-A720 cores and the total number of CPU cores. One report states it will feature eight CPU cores (1+4+3) while another claims it will have ten cores (1+2+3+4).
It is important to note that the Exynos 2400 is not the Galaxy-exclusive chip developed by Samsung’s “Dream Team.” That SKU is supposedly earmarked for the Galaxy S24 and is expected to enter mass production in 2024, presumably as an answer to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s Nuvia cores.
It is worth mentioning that Samsung has been using Snapdragon processors in its flagship devices in recent years, but with the Galaxy S24 variant in South Korea will be powered by the Exynos 2400, it seems that Samsung is looking to change that trend. However, it is important to note that Samsung has not yet confirmed these reports, and as such, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt.
Samsung is getting ready for the Galaxy Unpacked launch event which is scheduled to take place on February 1. The star of the show will definitely be the Galaxy S23 Ultra, however, the vanilla Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 Plus will also be debuting with impressive specs and features. So, let’s take a closer look at these two non-Ultra models to see what Samsung has in store for us.
Design & Display
Design-wise, there won’t be much of a difference between the two devices, however, the Plus model will obviously be a bit bigger. Both devices will feature a flat back design paired with a triple camera setup, with the lenses directly protruding from the frame. This is the same design language featured in previous Ultra variants of the flagship Samsung smartphones, and now its finally making its way to the vanilla and Plus models.
The right side houses the volume rocker and power buttons, and there is no sign of a Bixby button on both of these devices. Both the Galaxy S22 & the S22 Plus come with a 6.1 & 6.6-inch Infinity-O display with a small centered cutout for the front camera. Both of these panels offer FHD+ (2,340 x 1,080) resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. The pixel density is 425 PPI and a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the display. The display’s refresh rate can fluctuate dynamically between 48 Hz and 120 Hz. There are evenly slim bezels going around the devices that make them quite pleasant to look at.
Specifications
Both the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset powering them. What’s surprising and a cause for celebration is that all regions will be getting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-equipped models this time around. These phones will have different-sized batteries, with the smaller model featuring a 3,900 mAh unit, while the Plus model will be equipped with a 4,700 mAh battery. The smaller model has support for 25 W wired and 10 W wireless charging, while the Plus model is said to feature 45W fast charging support.
The cameras in the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ will be inherited from their predecessors. A 50 MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 23 mm focal length, an 85° field of view, and dual-pixel PDAF and OIS will be aided by a 10 MP telephoto lens with a 36-degree field of view, a 69 mm focal length, and a 3x optical zoom, as well as a 12 MP ultra-wide angle lens with a 120-degree field of view and a 13 mm focal length. The 12 MP front-facing camera can take photos and videos in HDR10+ and at high-definition 4K 60 frames per second. On the other hand, the main camera is capable of taking videos in up to 8K 30 FPS.
The Galaxy S23 will feature 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, whereas the Galaxy S23+ will have 256 GB or 512 GB. Both smartphones will have 8 GB of RAM. Black, cotton, green, purple, and are the four color options for both.
Expected pricing
According to leaks, the Galaxy S23 will cost €959 for the 8GB + 128GB config and €1019 for the 8GB + 256GB version in France. In a similar vein, the Galaxy S23 Plus 8GB + 256GB configuration will set you back €1219, while the 512GB storage model will set you back €1339.
The US pricing will apparently be the same, as the Galaxy S23 base variant is said to start at $799, and the Galaxy S23 Plus base variant will likely cost $999.
boAt has launched a new audio device in India. It is the boAt Rockerz 378 neckband eartphones. The latest offering has various features and is the first neckband in the world to pack sound tuned by American company THX. Read on to know what it offers out of the box.
As mentioned earlier, the boAt Rockerz 378 is neckband-styled wireless earphone. It has multi-functional buttons including a dedicated button for switching between usage modes and triggering voice assistant instantly. The earbuds are magnetic and can be attached to prevent wire tangling when not in use. The neckband is IPX5-certified water-resistant.
In terms of audio, the boAt Rockerz 378 is equipped with 10mm dynamic drivers. It features 3D Spatial Bionic sound technology tuned by THX which is said to offer advanced surround sound with realistic three-dimensional audio. The device packs beast mode that is said to reduce audio latency by 65ms. The earphones also feature boAt’s signature sound for deep bass and rich highs.
The boAt Rockerz 378 is powered by a 200mAh battery unit that is claimed to offer up to 25 hours of usage with 60 percent volume. It supports fast charging via a USB-C port that will reportedly deliver 15 hours of playback with 10 minutes of charging. The neckband earphones come with support for Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity.
The boAt Rockerz 378 carries an introductory price tag of Rs 1,299 and comes in Active Black, Electric Blue, Midnight Blue, and Vibrant Red colours. It is available for purchase on the brand’s official website, Amazon, and Flipkart.
Competition in the smartphone market is increasing day by day. This situation benefits the consumer, resulting in the emergence of more powerful and cheaper devices. However, technological progress also causes the products in question to last longer. For example, while the phone you bought in 20013 fell behind the times in just one or two years, some models can be used for a long time today. While this situation has already caused a slowdown in smartphone sales, the addition of the global economic crisis has made things difficult for manufacturers. China’s smartphone sales reached their lowest level in a decade in 2022. Here are the details…
China’s Smartphone Sales Continue to Decline in 2022
China’s smartphone sales reached their lowest level in a decade in 2022, with a 14% YoY decline, according to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse Service. This marks the fifth consecutive year of YoY sales declines in the country. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and macroeconomic headwinds were cited as the main reasons for the decline. In Q4 2022, China’s smartphone sales saw a 15% YoY decline.
Apple was one of the few brands that outperformed the market, with a 3% YoY decline in sales. The company also became the #2 brand in China for the first time, reaching its highest-ever quarterly market share of 23.7% in Q4 2022. Other major Android OEMs, such as OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi, saw large YoY declines of 27%, 23%, and 19% respectively.
HONOR was the only brand to have positive YoY growth at 38%, but this was mainly due to a lower base in 2021 when the brand began its resurgence in the Chinese market. Chinese OEMs are still focusing on the premium segment and launching more foldable devices, with competition in this segment expected to increase in 2023.
Looking ahead, a market turnaround is expected once COVID-19 herd immunity is achieved, which is expected to happen in Q2 2023. However, consumer sentiment is expected to take longer to recover, particularly when it comes to income prospects, so explosive growth in smartphone sales is not expected this year. A marginal recovery can still be expected.
Rapidus, a chipmaker backed by the government of Japan, has announced its new plans for advanced semiconductor technology. The company is seeking to build 2nm prototype process line by the year 2025.
In other words, the Japanese chip venture might be seeking to catch up to the world’s largest contract chipmaker, TSMC. For those unaware, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is set to start risk production of its next gen 2nm process in 2024. Furthermore, mass production for this cutting edge semiconductor process is also set to begin sometime in 2025. Similarly, even Samsung is rushing to begin production of its 2nm process line by the same year.
Unfortunately, the company has only announced its prototype line’s timeline. The mass production of the advanced process is only slated to begin sometime in the late 2020s. Although, even with this schedule, the Japanese government backed firm is still not too far behind the industry giant, TSMC. The company will also officially finalize its plans regarding the site location for the prototype facility in March. Notably, this site will also be responsible for the mass production later down the road.
Some of the key factors that will influence this decision is the availability of stable water and robust electrical infrastructure. This location should also be able to “attract domestic and foreign talent easily,” as per Rapidus President Atsuyoshi Koike. He stated that “we aim to produce only advanced chips, establishing a high margin business model,” further adding that “We want to bring in engineers from areas that different companies specialize in, in order to create new value”.
Microsoft has added Phone Link widget support to its Windows 11 Dev Channel Insiders. With the latest app version, 1.23011.73.0, Windows Insiders can now add the Phone Link widget to their widget board. This new feature provides a quick glance at recent phone notifications, network strength, battery status, and the phone connected to the Phone Link app. Here are the details…
Windows 11 Dev Channel Insiders get Phone Link widget support
The Phone Link widget is also customizable. Allowing users to adjust the size and even unpin it from the widget board if desired. This added convenience eliminates the need to constantly open the Phone Link app to check for new notifications. The inclusion of the Phone Link widget in the Windows 11 is a sign that Microsoft is putting more emphasis on widgets.
Oh. Phone Link is also getting a widget. App version 1.23011.73.0
Initially, only first-party apps were supported on the widget board, but now, with the ability for developers to create widgets for their apps on Windows 11, more options are becoming available. This is demonstrated by the recent addition of the Messenger widget by Meta.
For those who use Phone Link daily to check phone notifications on their Windows 11 PC, the Phone Link widget will likely make things easier and more convenient. It remains to be seen if more app developers will create widgets for Windows 11 users, but the trend seems to be heading in that direction.
Samsung Electronics added another feather to its hat by obtaining the first-ever Circadian Rhythm Display Certification for its 2023 Neo QLED and Lifestyle TVs, earlier in January. This certification proves Samsung’s commitment to developing technology and products designed with consumers at the top of its mind.
Source: Samsung
The certifications will be available for models Q70C and above and the Lifestyle TV variants Frame, Serif, and Sero.
What is Circadian Rhythm Display certification?
The World’s first Circadian Rhythm Display Certification was granted by the Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), an internationally accredited electronics, components, and systems certification institute in Germany. The VDE Certification confirms compliance with harmonized standards and is a competent proof of compliance with requirements of safety, quality, and EMC.
The VDE Circadian Rhythm Display certification process complies with the Circadian Stimulus method based on the research results of the Lighting Research Center in the U.S.
The certification recognizes Samsung TV’s, Eye Comfort Modes’ ability to automatically balance and adjust the light exposure and color temperature to mimic outdoor lighting.
The Eye Comfort mode impacts the viewer’s circadian rhythm, by measuring circadian stimulus for different levels of lighting and brightness and calculating the effect on melatonin suppression. When the screen’s light exposure, imitates the natural outdoor lighting, it benefits your biological circadian rhythm which decides when to release and inhibit the hormone Melatonin. This in turn helps you to get a comfortable rest and sleep better.
Melatonin is an essential hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. This hormone helps to time and control your Circadian Rhythm (24-hour internal clock) and helps with sleep. A common symptom of insufficient and irregular Melatonin is sleep disturbance.
Smart devices and screens produce blue light, which fools the brain into thinking it’s day time and stops the release of Melatonin. This is why when you watch TV or use smartphones late into the evening and night, your brain inhibits the release of Melatonin as it thinks it’s still daytime, which can lead to sleep issues like insomnia.
Source: Samsung
After the pandemic, the time spent by people on smart devices and displays has increased significantly. An average person spends more than 6 hours a day on displays connected to the internet. According to Statista, in 2022 more than 5.41 billion people used Television and this number will keep on increasing in the come years.
Samsung’s Eye Comfort Mode provides an optimal viewing experience to its users who are spending more time indoors with their television and reduces the impact on the viewer’s Melatonin.
Besides the Circadian Rhythm Display, Samsung TVs also come with other certifications like Eye Care certification from VDE and ‘Glare-Free’ from UL, and ‘Pantone Validated’ and ‘SkinTone Validated’ certifications from Pantone.
As per the latest research study from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service, India’s smartphone shipments took a hit in 2022, dropping 9% YoY to reach over 152 million units. The decline, which is only the second of its kind in India’s smartphone market, is due to supply constraints and decreased demand in the entry-level and budget segments. However, the premium segment saw a rise, capturing a double-digit share for the first time and leading to growth in retail ASP (Average Selling Price).
Senior Research Analyst Prachir Singh said that consumer demand began to decrease in the second quarter, when the global economy was impacted by high inflation, rising unemployment, and geopolitical conflicts – issues that also affected India’s economy. This led to an inventory build-up across channels and lower-than-expected shipments in the second half of the year. Singh believes that the inventory and demand situation will continue to affect the market in the first half of 2023, but predicts an improvement in the latter half due to the onset of the festive season and upgrades to 5G devices.
Research Analyst Shilpi Jain commented on the competitive landscape, stating that the premium smartphone market’s share continued to rise in 2022, reaching 11%, the highest ever. Jain believes this trend suggests that India’s smartphone market is shifting from being volume-driven to value-driven. There is a reason why the premium segment remained strong and showed double-digit growth. Jain attributes this to an increased focus from OEMs, consumers shifting their focus to premium features, and the availability of a variety of financing schemes like ‘No-cost EMI,’ ‘Buy Now, Pay Later,’ and ‘Samsung finance+.’ She further predicts that the momentum for the premium segment will remain strong in 2023.
Despite the decline in shipments, India’s smartphone market revenue remained quite flat. Samsung dominated the market with a 20% share, driven by its premium smartphone models, particularly the Galaxy S22 series. Apple rose from fourth place in revenue share in 2021 to attain second position in 2022. The iPhone 13 was the top smartphone model in 2022. This shift towards premium segment smartphones may spell a drastic change in market trends for the Indian smartphone market in the coming years.
Sony has been rumored to be working on a new game console for sometime now. This model in question is believed to be the PlayStation 5 Pro. However, it appears that the company is planning on skipping forward directly to the next gen PlayStation 6 console.
For those unaware, the Japanese tech giant was initially believed to be working on a PS5 Slim model. However, later reports claimed that the a higher end PlayStation 5 Pro model was also in the works. Following this, it was also rumored that the company might only be working on a Pro variant. Now, the latest information from a source close to the brand has revealed that Sony is focusing development on its next PlayStation model over a mid generation upgrade.
Based on its previous cycles, the company typically releases a new console variant from the same generation two years after its first launch like how the PS4 Pro and Slim arrived around two years after the base PS4. According to Tom Henderson, Sony is reconsidering its plans on making a hardware refresh for its PS5 series due to a lack of competition from Microsoft and its Xbox lineup. Despite the PS5 being nearly 3 years old, the company is also seeing a rise in sales thanks to its better stock of consoles in its inventory.
With the PS5 becoming more readily available, the brand is seeing robust sales. Due to shortages in the supply chain and increasing costs of raw materials, the PlayStation was one of the various consumer electronic products that faced production issues. Furthermore, Sony deciding to not offer a mid generation refresh makes sense since the upgrade likely won’t be worth buying a new console over the existing PS5.
Competition in the mobile processor market continues at full speed. Companies such as Qualcomm and MediaTek continue to work both to offer higher performance products and to find a place for processors in more smartphones. However, the real route to smartphones is through users’ demands. Being aware of this situation, Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon Insiders Access Program. Here are the details…
Exploring the Latest Tech with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Insiders Access Program
Qualcomm has recently introduced the Snapdragon Insiders Access Program. A new initiative that aims to support up-and-coming creators in the technology industry. The program is open to anyone who is interested in technology and is a resident of the United States who is over the age of 18. The main goal of the program is to provide members with priority access to Snapdragon-powered devices and brands, as well as connect them with established influencers in the industry.
Members of the program will also be invited to test new devices with Snapdragon chipsets, attend events to share educational content with the community, and provide feedback on new technologies and experiences. To become a member of the program, all you have to do is sign up on Qualcomm’s website. Once accepted, your name will be added to the list of creators that the company reaches out to ahead of events. The company is also looking for diversity and underrepresented content creators to join the program.
As a member, you will be asked to share your experiences with your followers on your social media channels. However, it is important to note that while you will still own all of the content you create, Qualcomm does ask for a license to use your content commercially to promote the program to other Snapdragon Insiders.
The program is currently open to all, with no limit on the number of people who can join. There is no deadline to apply, and you are not obligated to accept every product or invitation that you receive. The program also does not preclude you from other opportunities if you decide not to accept everything.
Display technologies continue to evolve. This situation coming with the cheaper panel costs. For example, OLED technology, which was once used only in premium products, can now be seen in mid-range and even entry-level devices. Lastly, Samsung announced 77-inch S95C QD-OLED TVs price. Here are the details…
77-inch Samsung S95C OLED (2023) to cost $4,499
Samsung recently announced their new line of QD-OLED TVs at CES 2023, including the 77-inch S95C and S90C models. While the company didn’t reveal an exact release date or pricing at the time, a recent accidental reveal on Samsung’s website in the USA has now given us a glimpse of the 77-inch S95C’s price.
The S95C QD-OLED smart TVis not yet available for purchase, but a listing for the TV appeared on Samsung‘s US portal when visitors searched for the term “OLED.” Clicking on the 77-inch S95C entry in the OLED listing leads to a “Page not found” prompt, indicating that Samsung is not yet ready to sell the TV. However, despite this, the list entry exists and includes the TV’s price.
The listing on Samsung‘s website suggests that the 77-inch S95C QD-OLED TV will cost $4,499. This is the highest price Samsung has revealed for their new QD-OLED TV series, and it’s likely that the smaller models will cost less. However, the prices for the 77-inch S90C model or the smaller QD-OLED 2023 variants are still unknown.
The S95C is the top of the range, and the S90C is expected to be more affordable as it lacks the Samsung One Connect box feature and uses OTS Lite instead of OTS Plus Sound. Despite this accidental reveal, Samsung has yet to officially announce the release date or prices for the new QD-OLED TV series, so it’s unclear if the $4,499 price point for the 77-inch S95C is final.
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